Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and Betsy Reavley for the opportunity to read this book.
What a book!!! I was enthralled from the very beginning. It was a fast paced and easy to follow storyline. I had to sit up and read this book in one sitting as I couldn't go to bed without knowing how it ended.
Definitely well worth a read.

Rating: 3.5/5

What can you do when trapped in a submarine that has sunk? Well, if that’s not bad enough, imagine if then someone is murdered . . . and they’re only the first victim . . .

I struggled to get into this story to start with but it is worth persevering with as it gets much better. Interspersed throughout the story are narrations from an unknown child, giving added mystery to the story. Is the child, now grown up, actually on the submarine? You also get to hear from the other people trapped and each has their own potential motive to be the killer, but who is it really? Are the others better to stay together - in which case they’ll be staying with the murderer? Or would they be better to split up? There’s plenty of angst, turmoil and murder in this thrilling read. Many of the characters are people you really don’t want to meet but their stories are still enthralling and the pace really keeps you on the edge of your seat. The pressure really is on as the survivors strive to remain alive against an unidentified murderer who seem out to kill most of them. Can they live to be rescued - or will they be killed by the killer or being trapped in the submarine?

If you enjoy dark thrillers with an inescapable killer on the loose in a somewhat claustrophobic situation you’ll probably love this!

I requested and was given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

A disturbing, deeply compelling thriller which will have you holding your breath from start to finish. A true belter of a book. I felt claustrophobic just reading it.

A nail biting page turner. The pressure of the situation really came across in the writing. Excellent

Wow, another humdinger of a book by this author!

I have to admit that the thought of being stuck on a submarine with no way out, scares the bejesus out of me. When those Russian submariners were unable to be rescued some years back, I found myself shivering with the thought of it. Ms Reavley puts those fears into words a little TOO well, for my liking! Added to that scenario, an unknown killer who is picking off the passengers, one by one, and the tension goes up exponentially.

I had no clue how this book was going to end, nor did I guess the killer - job done, I'd say!

4.5 stars from me :)

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloodhound Books for a review copy of Pressure, a stand alone novel set on a submarine stranded under the sea.

Frank Holden is making a movie set on a submarine and has gathered together a small cast of actors, technicians and crew but when the submarine breaks down they have seven days of air before they all die. It's a stressful situation but nothing compared to what happens when the murders start.

There is much to admire about this novel but I didn't like the format which I found confusing and distracting. The present day narrative, titled with a time stamp, is a first person narrative from Zara, the film's assistant director's point of view. It is interspersed with first person narratives giving the history of how all 10 characters came to be on the submarine and a first person narrative from someone called The Child. It is extremely difficult to keep track of who is speaking and the constantly shifting perspective makes it hard to get absorbed in the novel. The Child's narrative is yet another standard tale of abuse and while it eventually offers an explanation for the events it is drawn out and nothing that hasn't been done before.

Once the reader swallows the idea that so many people who either hate or have a grudge against Frank Holden would choose to spend two months in the cramped confines of a submarine with him Ms Reavley does a great job of creating a tense, edgy atmosphere. Some of this is due to her well hidden perpetrator but mostly it is due to her characters' reactions as they all slowly crack in different ways. It helps that her main narrator, Zara, seems flaky from the start.

Pressure is a well crafted novel which will appeal to many readers.

Thanks netgalley for the chance to read this book . Very exciting drom the beginning, first the submarine is sinking and everyone is on edge because they cannot fix it, then as if thats not enough people start dropping like flies! The question is whos doing it? Best thriller ive read in quite awhile. I have never read anything by betsy reavly before but im definately going to look for more of her work now . Loved this book .

Pressure is a bold, clever and claustrophobic psychological thriller and I really enjoyed it.

First of all: a closed-circle whodunit AND people being bumped off one by one by an unseen killer – two of my favourite tropes! Second of all: floor plan! I loved this and it did really help me to visualise the story as it played out.

“Who are you, Hercule fucking Poirot?”

Pressure has the feel and set-up of a classic murder mystery but with some extremely modern themes running through it. I’m not going to say anything more about the plot than is in the blurb because I thoroughly enjoyed finding out for myself who and what everyone was and how they came to be there.

I very much liked the book’s structure: scenes from the present day – the current panicked situation on the submarine – interspersed with flashbacks to get to know each one of the characters. The short chapters and the increasing tension make this a very fast paced read and perfectly suited to finishing in one nail-biting sitting.

The story is pretty gruesome throughout and the ending is both twisted and shocking. I highly recommend Pressure. I have had Betsy Reavley’s The Optician’s Wife on my Kindle for a while now and will definitely be bumping it up the TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the ARC of Pressure.

Betsy Reavley has gone and smashed it with her newest book Pressure, pure unadulterated tension which will intensify the fire within your imagination.

Pressure is centred around a low budget film set on a submarine, after a malfunction on the sub it sinks to the bottom of the ocean, oxygen is depleting, unable to escape, one of them is discovered murdered. Secrets, lies and the past all entangled within a claustrophobic atmosphere that could be death the of them all.

So many questions to be answered, Who’s next?, Why is it happening?, What secrets are surfacing from the past? Will anyone make it out alive? More to the point will we find out who the killer is?

Betsy had produced a narrative that I’m in awe of, how well the characters are portrayed, the short sharp chapters, the actual feeling of being in that sub, gasping for air while reading, I honestly thought holy shit am I next, a top notch psychological thriller.

It took me a while to read not because it was slow but it was my inability to hold my nerve and turn those pages, I was actually scared to turn them, fearing the worst with every page. The twists and turns, the flawless way Betsy sparked my imagination in the book giving me that 360° view which spiralled uncontrollably, dizzying my points of view of who was the culprit. Betsy you even made me have one of those maddening giggle moments when you realise no matter how hard you try your end game is not what you expected.

I know I haven’t given any spoilers or any in-depth information for Pressure as this book speaks volumes for itself, I just think it wouldn’t be fair as it’s got to be read to be believed.

Adrenaline surged through my body time and time again, Pressure is the ultimate psychological thriller. Put what your doing down Now…….Go Buy A Copy, you won’t be disappointed I can guarantee it.

Thanks to Bloodhound Books, Betsy Reavley and Sarah Hardy for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. Thank you again to Sarah for allowing me the opportunity to be part of the Blog Blitz for Betsy Reavley it was an absolute honour.

Trust me to pick a book where the subject gives me the heebee jeebees. Imagine if you will, being trapped on a submarine. The air will soon run out and to top it all off, there is a murderer or murderess killing the people on the submarine one by one and there is little chance of rescue.
The chapters cycle between telling us a little bit about the individuals on the submarine, the current claustrophobic and horrifying situation, and the heart breaking experience one of the people on the submarine had as a child growing up in an extremely abusive home.
Overall, I enjoyed the story but I found that the suspense lost a bit of steam when the story would suddenly jump from the submarine to the characters prior experiences and the story of the abused child. I think I would have preferred if the scene had been set with the experiences of the people on the submarine explained first, and then the current situation alternating with the abused child's memories. Other than that, I really did enjoy the novel and didn't really suspect who the killer was until close to the end. This is the first book I have read by Betsy Reavley and I am definitely planning to read more of her books.
I received a copy of this book from Bloodbound Books via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

I have a sneaking fondness for disaster movies. This book sounded like a disaster that would really chill my bones- I can't think of nothing worse than being stuck in a submarine!

In efforts to make a low budget high impact movie, the obnoxious Frank Houlden decides to set it in a submarine- only he doesn't want a submarine 'set', he wants a real submarine & the film will be shot underwater.

A selection of people find themselves stuck in the depths. Sooner or later the air will run out and if that wasn't enough people start dying.

Throughout the story we get the ghastly story of an abused child although we don't know who that child is. We also get a glimpse of the other people on the sub so we know how they came to be here.

I ought to have liked this book more. It had a lot going for it, but I found it just a bit too much of a stretch to believe it. I'm sure many will love it but for me it was just three stars.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Pressure by Betsy Reavley. A well-known film maker is making a film that is truly different - the movie will be shot inside a submarine, underwater, in the ocean. Truly exciting! The movie is going to be very different and a skilled and well known film maker assembles a group of actors and experts to create this movie. But something goes terribly wrong, and the submarine starts to sink and cannot be restarted, and then the bodies start to pile up. Someone in this group is killing them one by one - survival looks grim and getting saved looks even more impossible by the minute as the clock ticks on...and the bodies continue to pile up. Who among this group is the killer and why and how could this be happening.
Interesting book - different with a good ending.

As soon as I read the description for Pressure I couldn't wait to read it, this type of book where the characters are effectively trapped will always make for a tense and unpredictable story. So what did I think... I thought the build up in this story worked well as the characters back stories are revealed along with hearing an unknown voice sharing their terrible past. These parts could be difficult to stomach at times making Pressure even more dark and unsettling. Even though there are a few characters to follow they are all have different personalities.


There is a great deal of tension and also a certain amount of fear within the pages of this book which easily had me gripped. The pacing of the story is really good especially if you prefer a character driven story with twists strategically placed to really catch you out. It really is a nightmare situation that left me feeling uneasy and on edge but also completely engrossed in this dark story.

Pressure has plenty of secrets and surprises that are just waiting to be revealed. Then add in such a confined environment to the mix and it makes for an atmospheric and claustrophobic read!

With thanks to Sarah at Bloodhound Books for my copy.

Crikey! I didn't think claustrophobia could be written so effectively into a book but my goodness, Betsy Reavley managed it in Pressure. A super-fast paced thriller that I felt I had to read just as fast, as if my own reading-oxygen was in short supply.

I think it was a very novel idea to not just set the book on a submarine, but for the characters to be actors and film crew rather than sailors. It added to the tension when things went wrong and the sub became trapped at the bottom of the sea because nobody knows how to fix it. Add to the already tense mix that there's a killer on board and I could barely breathe with an equal mix of excitement and terror. As characters begin to be killed off, I was both looking for the killer and wondering who would be next.

With so many characters, books tend to get confusing and although I couldn't remember exactly who everybody was at times, some of the characters stuck in my mind due to the amazing back-stories that Betsy Reavley has created. Everyone is on the submarine for a different reason, some to make a name for themselves and some to get revenge. With so many reasons for a person to become unhinged, it makes Pressure totally unpredictable as even down to the last few chapters, I didn't know who to suspect.

Unusual and thrilling, Pressure kept me guessing right to the very end. It certainly showed how appearances can be deceptive and the danger lurking beneath the masks that so many people wear. Beneath the surface certainly has a double meaning in Pressure; beware what lies beneath...

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

It’s always exciting when Betsy Reavely has a new book out and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in to Pressure, although having read this authors dark and sometimes distressing work before, I knew it was possibly going to be a tough read in places! And it was! But I have to say, before I go into any more detail about why it was rather disturbing at times, that if ever one of Betsys books cried out to be made into a movie then it’s Pressure. Honestly, it’s one that would freak the hell out of most people and it would translate perfectly to the big screen!

Now me and water aren’t really friends and the thought of being stuck at the bottom of the ocean fills me with more dread than I would even like to think about! Especially if I was stuck with people that I really didn’t (or even want!!) to know! But that’s what happens when a group of people who wouldn’t normally be all together, end up stuck on a submarine at the bottom of the sea with a dwindling oxygen supply and a murderer amongst them. The narrative is broken down into three parts with one telling the story of what is happening on the submarine, one narrated by “the child” and the other is the introduction (one by one) of the occupants stuck onboard. Now comparisons to And Then There Were None are spot on, I thought, as one by one everyone gets bumped off. I’ve seen some reviews saying that there were too many characters but with a plot such as this one, especially due to where it is set, I think it needed a vast array of different personalities involved. What I will say is that although we are introduced to each of them one by one, I would have like a longer introduction to them all and observed their interactions for more time on the submarine before everything started to fall apart. I made the mistake of putting the book down overnight and the next morning had to flick back to everyone’s chapter one at a time to remind myself quickly of who they were.

Pressure is a fast paced thriller which is genuinely terrifying. It plays on our own fears of being unable to escape from a nightmarish situation, one that we know isn’t as impossible as it sounds. Betsy always takes her inspiration from real life events and creates her own personal and stylish take on that incident so that we too can experience the emotional distress behind it. If you like dark and disturbingly realistic scenarios then this is the thriller for you.

What could be more claustrophobic than being trapped somewhere where the oxygen is literally running out? No wonder this book is called “Pressure” as I could feel pressure pushing on my chest almost the whole story. In an homage to Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” Betsy Reavley has created the perfect locked-room setting as the occupants come to realise they are trapped in more ways than one.

Ten people are on a submarine filming a movie when they suddenly lose power and sink to the bottom. What was supposed to be a low-budget movie has turned into a nightmare scenario of its own, as stuck on the seabed quickly running out of power and oxygen, these ten strangers are confronted with the fact that one of them is a murderer.

Told from multiple points of view (there are quite a lot so be ready for that), the narration alternates from past to present giving a little back story on everyone and how each character came to be on the submarine and how they are all actually connected to each other. None of these characters are particularly likeable and being stuck together certainly brings out the worst in them. Also the reader hears from the point of view of someone known only as The Child and the upsetting story of the horrific abuse they suffered at the hands of their mother.

As the oxygen levels decrease, the tension levels of the story increase until the atmosphere is almost suffocating. The author has clearly researched life on a submarine and oxygen deprivation and I had to keep reminding myself to breathe so I didn’t begin to suffer the same ills as the occupants on board The Pica Explorer.

The further into the book you go the more the multiple threads from the beginning of the book seem to weave themselves together. I kept changing my mind over who to trust and who not to as the author led me along numerous wrong turns! Cleverly plotted and written well, the words just seemed to flow from page to page and I found myself immersed in the fate of the occupants of The Pica Explorer.

Bursting with suspense and intrigue, Pressure is an atmospheric thriller that’ll keep you glued to the pages and guessing right to the end.

Ten characters, all of who are given at least one chapter written in the first person.

All stuck on a submarine that has sunk.

All of who, are getting killed one by one.

Then there’s the flash backs to the child who suffers at the hands of their mother, her boyfriend, and school bullies, also written in the first person.

The research submarine Pica Explorer has been hired by Frank Holden, a disgraced film producer who bears a striking resemblance to Harvey Weinstien, to make a low budget film.

During filming the sub breaks down and sinks to the bottom of the sea. The ten people on board are told they have about a week of oxygen, and set about waiting to be rescued.

Then they start to get killed, one-by-one the bodies start to pile up. Those surviving start to look at each other with paranoia.

The question of who is the killer, is almost as important as who will not lose their mind.

As far as the plot goes, that’s it, it’s a wait and see who is still alive at the end process.

This book is a nautical version of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. It didn’t have to be set on a submarine, it could have been set in an isolated house in the Scottish Highlands, or a snowed in pub on Exmore, and would probably been better off of it was. There are a lot unreal things about the setting, things that are just wrong. Windows?

I have read a lot of reviews of this book before I wrote this one. This book is not as bad as some people make it out to be, but, its nowhere near as good as some people say it is.

It kept me entertained for a lazy Saturday, a bit of bubblegum for the brain. If that’s what you want this is the book for you.

Pages: 220
Publisher: Bloodhound Books

(Rounded up from 4.5)

The adventure started when Frank Holden, a bigwig film producer decides to make a low budget movie under the sea. He gathers together a rather ragtag group of actors, production crew and submariners but disaster strikes when there is a malfunction. Now ten people are trapped inside a Pica Explorer submarine at the bottom of the ocean. entrapped within its walls with no escape, a murderer begins picking off the passengers one by one. Who will survive?

This is an utterly addictive read! The feeling of claustrophobia and the tension of being trapped somewhere without knowing exactly where you are sent shivers down my spine throughout. I think it would make an amazingly good horror movie.

There are quite a lot of different points of view, each character gets their own chapter, essentially tell you how each one ends up on the submarine. There is also a child which at first threw me a little, like who is this child and what’s it got to do with the people trapped on the sub? It took me a few chapters to figure it out but I’m not going to spoil it, you’ll just have to read it yourself and see.

I did feel there might have been one too many characters but of course that’s just my opinion.

Overall a tense, addictive read that will have you gripped throughout.

From the outset Pressure feels overwhelming claustrophobic with a sense of impending doom lurking in the shadows of the submarine. Betsy Reavley has yet again written a psychological thriller that’s both dark and deceptively twisted. As someone who is terrified of being trapped in a small space the author then compounded my fears by adding in the deep unknown, for someone who is also terrified of drowning I immediately found myself becoming anxious as the author’s descriptive writing made me feel I was very much trapped in the submarine along side the crew, causing me to have a few sleepless nights!

A tense thriller with lots of twists and turns in the story. I liked the added suspense of being trapped underwater with no escape from the murderer in their midst!